In The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening you can set the maximum number of Magic Powder, bombs and arrows increase permanently. That’s what they’re up for Koholint three well-hidden underground rooms in which a Mad Batter sleeps. Do you wake him up? Magic Powder, it imposes a very helpful “penalty” on Link and increases the carrying capacity of one of your consumables. If you find all three hiding places, you can end up with up to 40 units Magic Powder, 60 bombs and 60 arrows carry.
The improvements are not absolutely necessary for the normal completion of the game, but are definitely recommended for a complete 100% score. More bombs make several dungeon puzzles and intermediate bosses easier, while the larger arrow supply is extremely practical in the second half of the game. Our order is therefore based on the optimal route of our Link’s Awakening Walkthrough: We get the first improvement directly after the Bottle Grotto, the second after the Angler’s Tunnel and the last on the way to the Turtle Rock.
All capacity upgrades at a glance
| Item | Normal capacity | After upgrading |
|---|---|---|
| Magic Powder | 20 | 40 |
| Bombs | 30 | 60 |
| Arrows | 30 | 60 |
Each category can be improved exactly once. Since there are three hiding places and three improvements, you can always reach all maximum values at the end. The order basically doesn’t matter. The Mad Batter first suggests an improvement. If you would rather upgrade another item, simply answer his question with “No”. He then suggests the next category. Repeat this until the desired improvement appears.
For our optimal solution, we recommend bombs first. They will be needed more frequently than the other consumables in the upcoming dungeons, for numerous blastable walls and several optional collectibles. Arrows are a useful second improvement if you have already bought the bow. The Magic Powder can easily wait until the last devil, as significantly less powder is required after receiving the Magic Rod anyway.
1. Mad Batter in Mysterious Forest
You can get the first capacity upgrade directly after the Bottle Grotto. There you received the Power Bracelet and can finally lift the heavy rocks that have previously stood in your way on the upper world. Return to the Mysterious Forest and go to the cave through which you got to the Sleeping Morel at the very beginning of the adventure. Directly north or northeast of this cave entrance is the area with a Moblin and a single heavy rock in the upper right corner.
Lift the rock with that Power Bracelet to. A hidden staircase appears underneath. Climb down and you will reach a small room with an inconspicuous altar or an extinguished flame. Scatters Magic Powder on it. The Mad Batter appears and complains that you woke him up – before making Link carry more as a “punishment”. Rejects his first suggestion with “No” if necessary, until Bombs be offered. For our route, this is the most sensible first improvement: your maximum number of bombs increases from 30 60 bombs.
This detour can be easily combined with our large collection round to Power Bracelet. In the Mysterious Forest, another Piece of Heart and several Secret Seashells are also accessible at this time, so that you don’t have to visit the area again later specifically for the Mad Batter must visit.
2. Mad Batter in the Martha’s Bay
The second upgrade can only be accessed in a meaningful way after you have… Angler’s Tunnel the Swimming fins have found. Then go to the Martha’s Bay. The dilapidated house on the coast, to which you later bring the pink ghost, is a good orientation point. From there, run east past the telephone booth until you discover several holes at the end of the path and bushes behind them.
The stairs behind the holes are initially difficult to reach through the bushes. If you already own the Boomerang, you can easily remove the plants from a distance. At this point you usually don’t have it on our route, so it also works with sword, Roc’s Feather and Pegasus Boots: Jump over the holes and knock away the annoying bushes as you jump. Then you take a bit of a running start, sprint off with the Pegasus Boots and jump over the gaps to the stairs with the Roc’s Feather.
Descend. Deep water awaits you in the underground passage, which is why Flippers are essential. Swim through the tunnel and rise to the surface at the other end. You end up in a small, secluded forest. Go west there and climb down the next set of stairs. The well-known altar once again stands in the underground room. Sprinkle Magic Powder on it and the second Mad Batter appears.
If you followed our suggestion and improved the bombs first, we now recommend the arrows. The normal supply of 30 arrows increases to 60 arrows. If you haven’t bought the bow for 980 Rupees in the Mabe Village shop yet, you can instead first improve the Magic Powder and upgrade the arrows at the last devil. The order makes no difference to the complete score.
The detour is also particularly efficient because one of the 32 Pieces of Heart is located in the same cave system. In our Walkthrough we combine both goals directly with each other.
3. Mad Batter in the West Tal Tal Mountain Range
You will find the third and final improvement very late in the adventure on the way to the Turtle Rock. After rescuing Marin from the destroyed suspension bridge, work your way through the western part of the Tal Tal Mountains. You cross several caves and finally reach a high mountain path on which numerous rocks roll towards you.
Follow the path to the top. There is a chest there with 50 Rupees. In the immediate vicinity or slightly below there is a single heavy rock. Lift it with the Power Bracelet and you will uncover the last hidden staircase. Climb down, sprinkle Magic Powder on the altar again and wake up the third Mad Batter.
Now let’s upgrade the last category that hasn’t been improved yet. If you followed our recommended order, that is Magic Powder. The maximum supply increases from 20 40 applications. This completes all three capacity upgrades and Link can now handle 40 units Magic Powder, carry 60 bombs and 60 arrows.
Then don’t leave the cave thoughtlessly towards the Turtle Rock. Also nearby are the penultimate Piece of Heart and one of the last Secret Seashells of the game. Our Walkthrough connects these finds directly with the path to the eighth dungeon.
Which improvement should you choose first?
Since you can distribute the three improvements freely across the three altars, there is no mandatory order. However, for the most comfortable 100% pass, we recommend Bombs → Arrows → Magic Powder. The larger bomb supply is useful immediately after Bottle Grotto, as numerous secret rooms, Secret Seashells and later dungeon puzzles require bombs. Arrows become increasingly valuable from Face Shrine, Eagle’s Tower and for various optional battles at the latest. Magic Powder is particularly important in the first half of the game, but 20 uses are usually enough and after the Turtle Rock, the Magic Rod takes over many of its tasks.
If you have chosen a different order, you do not have to reload the save file. Each devil improves exactly one category that has not yet been upgraded and after visiting all three hiding places you can always have the maximum supplies.
Magic Powder don’t forget
A small peculiarity can easily be overlooked: In order to make the Mad Batter appear at all, you need at least one unit Magic Powder every time. At the start of the game, the witch makes the Sleepy Toadstool powder. Later you can get supplies from opponents, in jars or from appropriate dealers, among other things. Therefore, especially before the last hiding place in the Tal Tal Mountain Range, make sure that there is at least one application left – otherwise you will have to return just because of the missing powder.
Completed all three improvements
After visiting all three altars, you have fully completed another optional category of Link’s Awakening. With 40 Magic Powder, 60 bombs and 60 arrows you are well prepared for Turtle Rock, the Wind Fish’s Egg and all the Side Quests that are still open. For a complete score you should also have the 32 Pieces of Heart, 50 Secret Seashells, three bottles at the same time, collect ten figures and the special Chamber Stones.